Russian court sentences former Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksii Arestovych to 11 years in absentia
The 2nd Western District Military Court in Moscow sentenced Oleksii Arestovych, a former adviser to the presidential chief of staff of Ukraine, in absentia to 11 years in prison, the independent outlet Mediazona said on August 28.
The trial lasted a single day and was held behind closed doors. The case stemmed from videos posted on March 17, 2022, in which Arestovych called for “waging a total rail war” against Russia in the occupied territories. It also included an April 8, 2022, publication about Russia’s strike on the Kramatorsk train station.
The court found Arestovych guilty of spreading “fake” claims about the Russian military and of calling for terrorism.
Arestovych resigned from the position in January 2023 and left the country after suggesting that Ukrainian air defense had shot down the Russian missile that destroyed a residential building in Dnipro. Ukraine has since opened two criminal cases against him. In May 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky imposed sanctions against Arestovych.
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